Darby Mills Biography
Donald and Darby
I was born in 1959, in the small town of Vernon British Columbia, Canada. The last of 4 children, “the BABY” as my mom would lovingly refer to me. At the age of 5, I started figure Skating where I spent my winters for the next 12 years, and almost every 2nd 5am morning. The summers as a youngster were spent at my parent’s cabin; I believe this is where the STAGE bug took a bite. At night the whole family would lie along the logs there on the beach. While the bonfire light the night, my dad would serenade the world with the songs of his youth and his most amazingly powerful voice. I still feel the shivers down my spine remembering. After every song, applause would echo out from the other side of the lake, where the other campers would lay in wait for another song. I was so proud of him.
What a powerful feeling it seemed to be!
For as long as I remember, I had a desire. To be…..... SOMETHING?
During my years of Figure skating, I managed to make a special team of young skaters that were invited to Vancouver to skate at a summer camp sponsored by Canada’s own Karen Magnussen. However, after 12 years of daily training, my age now passed the desired limit of a competitor, an invite to become an full on instructor landing at my door. I chose not to leave home at 17 to teach, but to stay in school and finish my education.
My first BAND…..Grade 10, the journey begins!
There I was, standing in the bedroom of a high school buddy. His band focused on rehearsal for an upcoming show. They were playing “Crazy on You” by Heart. The band had stopped at one point and there I was, giggling at what I was witnessing …. “What!”, remarked the drummer. “a GUY can’t sing HEART” I replied, Richard the drummer, my buddy, promptly picked up the album cover (which contained the lyrics) and threw it at me. With a smirk on his face said, “Then YOU sing it!”
So I DID! …………… I worked that next show, and I guess you can say I “Never looked back”.
What a powerful feeling it seemed to be!
For as long as I remember, I had a desire. To be…..... SOMETHING?
During my years of Figure skating, I managed to make a special team of young skaters that were invited to Vancouver to skate at a summer camp sponsored by Canada’s own Karen Magnussen. However, after 12 years of daily training, my age now passed the desired limit of a competitor, an invite to become an full on instructor landing at my door. I chose not to leave home at 17 to teach, but to stay in school and finish my education.
My first BAND…..Grade 10, the journey begins!
There I was, standing in the bedroom of a high school buddy. His band focused on rehearsal for an upcoming show. They were playing “Crazy on You” by Heart. The band had stopped at one point and there I was, giggling at what I was witnessing …. “What!”, remarked the drummer. “a GUY can’t sing HEART” I replied, Richard the drummer, my buddy, promptly picked up the album cover (which contained the lyrics) and threw it at me. With a smirk on his face said, “Then YOU sing it!”
So I DID! …………… I worked that next show, and I guess you can say I “Never looked back”.
“KASHMIR”, named after the Led Zeppelin song, was the next stop on my journey.
We practiced in my parent’s basement, for the better part of a year. One night the guitar
player said to me "You sound like Janis Joplin”
I replied……… "WHO?"
I was then, educated!
1977/78 Senior High school, I managed to convince someone on the school council to let me sing the theme song chosen by the students at our Graduation Ceremony.
One week after Graduation, I loaded all my worldly possessions into my trusty silver grey pinstriped Gremlin and headed for Calgary, Alberta. This stemming from sneaking into the local bars back home underage. They always had Alberta bands there playing. Most were usually willing to let me get up on stage to jam. And No, my parents had no knowladge till years later!!! Just over a year I spent in Calgary. Five, six, seven bands I passed in and out of, all while learning what I could and couldn’t do. Then a quick move to Vancouver to front a blues/jazz band called Forecast. I was fired after two months. Then I headed back to Calgary for some more Rock’n’Roll. “SARGENT” took me on as a replacement for their current singer, but I didn’t last long there either. By that time, it was clear that a day job was in my future.
Mister Sound Records in the south Center Mall was my home for the next few months, where fate yet again stepped in.
Mister Sound Records in the south Center Mall was my home for the next few months, where fate yet again stepped in.
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DANCIN, to a different beat!
I had landed an audition with a 7 piece Dance band originating from Harlem, New York, USA. I booked the time off and headed to the try out in Edmonton. I got the gig and within 3 weeks I was out on the road with “Business Before Pleasure” or BBP for short. Donna Summers, Anita Ward, Earth Wind and Fire, Stevie Wonder what a taste of life that was! Just over a month into touring, we cruised into Lethbridge, Alta for a two week GIg. We were funkin out just cross the street from the local ROCK 'n' ROLL bar, where “STEELBACK” was booked for the next two weeks as well. WEEK ONE: On the "BBP" breaks, I would run cross the street from the dance club to watch the ROCKERs wail. By the end of that week, I was up on their stage jamming with them.
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Business Before Pleasure
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Mid WEEK TWO: I had an offer to join “STEELBACK” and move to Vancouver to sing
ROCK ‘n’ ROLL! Not that I didn’t enjoy my funk and soul education from the boys in "BBP", I just knew where my heart needed to be. End WEEK TWO: I felt just terrible leavening BBP so quickly after joining. Then to top it all off, when I returned back with the news of my offer and soon to be departure, "BBP's" dressing room had been ransacked and everyone’s pay for the week had been stolen!! I mustered a solum good bye to my New York connections and jumped in the OLD blue van. STEELBACK travelled in it for many years, and off we headed to the west coast, just one more time. On one of our many excursions from B.C. to Alberta and back, the bands one ton moving truck ( that hauled our SOLID WHITE PA system , STEELBACK was famous for, consisted of 6 PA cabinets each the size of a small car, 30 plus par cans, full stage lighting trusses, 100 wrapped electrical cords and the drum kit loaded in green garbage buckets as far as my memory serves)…… ROLLED!! |
Yup, we rolled it GOOD! Just outside of Boston Bar, B.C. We were so luckily no one was hurt, except of course the truck. We managed to drive it home to Victoria, even onto the B.C. ferry. Which was totally unbelievable as the trucks front fender was bent up over the hood and being held on by electrical cords. The one ton box was twisted sideways by at least 2 feet. I wish I had the pictures.
Hello Victoria! In the beginning I sang a handful of songs with band and slowly i got to sing more and more. By the time I was doing over half the show, I had made a HUGE decision.......as if a light switch had been turned on. I was going to give this singing thing EVERYTHING I had! As the months rolled by the band got better and better. Then, on one particular night, Steelback drew in a different crowd, the BIG BOYS were in the audience!! We were at the Zodiac Night Club, it was packed to the rafters and the members of that new "TOO LOUD" act, had stopped in to watch. Only a few words were exchanged, they left, and that was that. Till the following week, "STEELBACK" and I were back in Calgary. My room phone rings, there were no cell phones back then, It was Brian TOO loud Macleod. He mentioned he’d seen us the week before and wanted to know if I interested in sing for the HEADPINS. Dumbfounded, I call it! I asked if he knew exactly who he was talking to?
He said YES and then he mentioned, take your time deciding. He'd call back tomorrow for my answer....?
1980 was the year CHILLIWACK, PRISM, LOVERBOY, TORONTO, SOLID GOLD Records and the HEADPINS became a staple in my life!
(For a more involved description of that year and those to followed, the Headpins page will have a far more in-depth recount…)
5 of the most incredible, invigorating, self finding, mind blowing, skill developing, heartbreaking and disgusting years were to follow. Nothing is as it seems, as i found out. Yet, how much would YOU give, to find out? That is a real question. Contracts, lawyers, managers, studios, buses, planes, hotels, hotels, hotels, even friends, can and do, all have their own agenda. A thick skin and endless conviction is a must if you want to survive here. I met and married my husband Brian Wadsworth in these years, who was then and is still my manager, just don't tell him i said that!!!. But in rolled 1985,when I lost my position with the Headpins. It was one day after the Canadian leg of the ZZ TOP tour had ended. I was totally blindsided, but It was a time for great things to be happening in Vancouver. I quickly put together a 9 piece horn project called “DON’T LOOK DOWN” so we could play EXPO and in one of the best clubs of the day, 86 STREET.
The HEADPIN boys had morphed into a few different projects, looking for the right mix as well. Then shortly after Expo, I ended up in Los Angeles having resigned with MCA records, USA as a solo artist. The head of A&R, who had originally signed the Headpins, flew me down to LA for a few weeks where I co-wrote with a plethora of talented and up and coming writers. Then I was off to London, England where I recorded 6 tracks of what was to be my NEW sound. GREG WALSH of TINA TURNER’S “Private Dancer” fame was at the controls, TONI LEVIN on bass, Tina Turner’s then guitar player PHIL (sorry i can't recall his last name) on guitar and BG’s from MIKE and the MECHANICS support team. The list was truly awe inspiring. I had returned home for a short rest and a chance to write some more material when I received a call from Ell Pie Studio England. (Owned and operated by Pete Townshend of the WHO) They were no longer getting replies from MCA and wanted to know “what was the problem and what was I going to do about it?”
My then management and I jumped on a plane for LA and called a meeting. When we arrived we discovered that our team was no longer under employment and the now NEW head of A&R for MCA records proceeded to tell us that the company WOULD in fact be breaking a female artist this year but WHO…. was the question? They had been introduced to a young girl, with no stage experience they said but she had “SOMETHING” about her! I had no guarantees to give Eel Pie back in London but with the thousands of US dollars already invested on my European tracks, we called his bluff.
I flew home that night a FREE agent; I no longer had a recording deal with MCA, and to make matters worse, I wasn't even sure the money spent to date would be my personal burden to repay!!!
MCA did break a new female artist that next year! “TIFFANY” flooded the scene that following summer, playing shopping malls across America. I however, DID NOT!
5 months passed before I had the nerve to come up or out for air, which by then I had lost my management deal and myself confidence. But…THE SHOW MUST GO ON! Actually I think it should read, “The show WILL go on, with… or WITHOUT you! “ The 80’s club scene was like nothing you will ever see again. Too Loud (Brian McLeod) was busy working in my replacement and the clubs were holding weekly jams, everywhere. Then one day, a soon to become lifelong friend called me and said “You should be at my jam this week; I’ll take care of you, trust me!” I guess it was time. I left my house, hit the stage for the first time in 8 months and started the gamble all over again.
Hello Victoria! In the beginning I sang a handful of songs with band and slowly i got to sing more and more. By the time I was doing over half the show, I had made a HUGE decision.......as if a light switch had been turned on. I was going to give this singing thing EVERYTHING I had! As the months rolled by the band got better and better. Then, on one particular night, Steelback drew in a different crowd, the BIG BOYS were in the audience!! We were at the Zodiac Night Club, it was packed to the rafters and the members of that new "TOO LOUD" act, had stopped in to watch. Only a few words were exchanged, they left, and that was that. Till the following week, "STEELBACK" and I were back in Calgary. My room phone rings, there were no cell phones back then, It was Brian TOO loud Macleod. He mentioned he’d seen us the week before and wanted to know if I interested in sing for the HEADPINS. Dumbfounded, I call it! I asked if he knew exactly who he was talking to?
He said YES and then he mentioned, take your time deciding. He'd call back tomorrow for my answer....?
1980 was the year CHILLIWACK, PRISM, LOVERBOY, TORONTO, SOLID GOLD Records and the HEADPINS became a staple in my life!
(For a more involved description of that year and those to followed, the Headpins page will have a far more in-depth recount…)
5 of the most incredible, invigorating, self finding, mind blowing, skill developing, heartbreaking and disgusting years were to follow. Nothing is as it seems, as i found out. Yet, how much would YOU give, to find out? That is a real question. Contracts, lawyers, managers, studios, buses, planes, hotels, hotels, hotels, even friends, can and do, all have their own agenda. A thick skin and endless conviction is a must if you want to survive here. I met and married my husband Brian Wadsworth in these years, who was then and is still my manager, just don't tell him i said that!!!. But in rolled 1985,when I lost my position with the Headpins. It was one day after the Canadian leg of the ZZ TOP tour had ended. I was totally blindsided, but It was a time for great things to be happening in Vancouver. I quickly put together a 9 piece horn project called “DON’T LOOK DOWN” so we could play EXPO and in one of the best clubs of the day, 86 STREET.
The HEADPIN boys had morphed into a few different projects, looking for the right mix as well. Then shortly after Expo, I ended up in Los Angeles having resigned with MCA records, USA as a solo artist. The head of A&R, who had originally signed the Headpins, flew me down to LA for a few weeks where I co-wrote with a plethora of talented and up and coming writers. Then I was off to London, England where I recorded 6 tracks of what was to be my NEW sound. GREG WALSH of TINA TURNER’S “Private Dancer” fame was at the controls, TONI LEVIN on bass, Tina Turner’s then guitar player PHIL (sorry i can't recall his last name) on guitar and BG’s from MIKE and the MECHANICS support team. The list was truly awe inspiring. I had returned home for a short rest and a chance to write some more material when I received a call from Ell Pie Studio England. (Owned and operated by Pete Townshend of the WHO) They were no longer getting replies from MCA and wanted to know “what was the problem and what was I going to do about it?”
My then management and I jumped on a plane for LA and called a meeting. When we arrived we discovered that our team was no longer under employment and the now NEW head of A&R for MCA records proceeded to tell us that the company WOULD in fact be breaking a female artist this year but WHO…. was the question? They had been introduced to a young girl, with no stage experience they said but she had “SOMETHING” about her! I had no guarantees to give Eel Pie back in London but with the thousands of US dollars already invested on my European tracks, we called his bluff.
I flew home that night a FREE agent; I no longer had a recording deal with MCA, and to make matters worse, I wasn't even sure the money spent to date would be my personal burden to repay!!!
MCA did break a new female artist that next year! “TIFFANY” flooded the scene that following summer, playing shopping malls across America. I however, DID NOT!
5 months passed before I had the nerve to come up or out for air, which by then I had lost my management deal and myself confidence. But…THE SHOW MUST GO ON! Actually I think it should read, “The show WILL go on, with… or WITHOUT you! “ The 80’s club scene was like nothing you will ever see again. Too Loud (Brian McLeod) was busy working in my replacement and the clubs were holding weekly jams, everywhere. Then one day, a soon to become lifelong friend called me and said “You should be at my jam this week; I’ll take care of you, trust me!” I guess it was time. I left my house, hit the stage for the first time in 8 months and started the gamble all over again.
Plain Jane
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Rehearsals with my new project “Plain Jane” then hit the clubs for the better part of a year when John Kalodner (dude looks like a lady guy) of Geffen Records LA stepped in. He flew me down to Nashville, Tennessee where I co-wrote a handful of songs for yet another attempted at a solo project. When it was all said and done, it needed….. SOMETHING! And the project went cold. Two more close calls with Canadian record companies came and went, but nothing. Till finally, Warner Music Canada took a good look and decided I might have a chance. My husband having just finished building SOUNDWERKS recording studio, a wonderful Recording/Rehearsal space in east Vancouver, so we hit the gears hard.
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With a handful of the best talent we could find, the recording of “Never Look Back” was completed and released in Canada under the Warner Music Label. It took almost 5 years after losing my job with the PINS, but I did it, I managed to find that… Something! Coincidentally that same month, Too Loud Macleod's new project was released as well,
Go figure?
Go figure?
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Thanks to some old friends back in Toronto, my new band the “Unsung Heroes” and I hit the road. 1991 we toured with Lee Aaron across Canada for that whole summer. Then we then hit the clubs for another year. In the end “Never look Back” yielded 4 singles and one video. Not nearly enough to compete with in the video age that was now going hard and heavy.
At this point I was seven long years into my Headpin law suit; where there was hundreds of thousands of dollars in past dept due to Headpins old management. I was being held responsible for the repayment with no deal on the table and our first baby now on the way, I took one more look at my life and decided it was time to hang up the mike and be real. |
Unsung Hereos
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Or so I thought!
After months of self exile, Bernie Aubin the drummer from the HEADPINS gave me a call. And damn it , "just one more time"………………………… 35 years later, Here I am telling you what the story was/is in my words, to the best of my recollection that is. I’m sure I’ve left out many, many details, some good, Like the birth of my two awesome boys and the fact that I’ve been married for 30 years now. Some Bad, some very BAD! But one day, I think I’ll have to sit down and put it all on paper. Hopefully before I forget, things ARE getting little blurry!! I’ve been saying this for years now, so PLEASE, take note !!! If you remember a band from your youth, of your life experience, part of your fabric, NOW is the time to go see them. Go find your MEMORIES, go relive the best years. Because the bands that help to bring them to light are older then you! Their time has come and is passing bye as we sit here. |
It has been a wild ride and I’d like to thank you all for being a part of my SOMETHING!
Here’s hoping it’s not done yet!!!
Cheers, Darby
"MUSIC is what teaches the soul to sing" ~DMills
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